Large-area pulsed laser deposition: Techniques and applications

Abstract

Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) has quickly emerged as a unique tool with which to grow high quality films of complex chemical compounds. It is estimated that at present the number of different materials which have been deposited by PLD now exceeds two hundred. Scientists have used this process primarily as a laboratory tool to deposit films of various compounds that are typically difficult to synthesize by other techniques, and then quickly evaluate the relevant material properties. Deposition techniques such as ion-beam, rf, or dc magnetron sputtering, electron-beam evaporation, molecular beam epitaxy, chemical vapor deposition, and metal organic chemical vapor deposition, have all achieved wide-spread acceptance as processes with which to grow various types of electronic and optical films. In order for PLD to emerge as a real production process, it must be demonstrated that PLD is capable of depositing material over useful substrate sizes with acceptable uniformity. PLD must also compete with more established growth techniques or provide film properties which are otherwise unobtainable with these alternatives. Furthermore, as with any commercial process, PLD will become viable only if it is cost effective. Due to its unique capabilities, it is expected that PLD will emerge as a production tool for several applications in the near future. However, such applications are expected to be relatively low volume with high value added to the end product by the laser-deposited film.